A Warrior's Creed

Anonymous Samurai, fourteenth century

I have no parents; I make the heavens and the earth my parents
I have no home; I make awareness my home
I have no life or death; I make the tides of breathing my life and death
I have no divine power; I make honesty my divine power
I have no means; I make understnading my means
I have no magic secrets; I make character my magic secrets
I have no body; I make my endurance my body
I have no eyes; I make the flash of lightning my eyes
I have no ears; I make sensibility my ears
I have no limbs; I make promptness my limbs
I have no strategy; I make "unshadowed by thought" my strategy
I have no designs; I make 'seizing opportunity by the forelock' my design
I have no miracles; I make 'right action' my miracles
I have no principles; I make adaptability to all circumstances' my principles
I have no tactics; I make emptiness and fullness my tactics
I have no talent; I make ready wit my talent
I have no friends; I make my mind my friend
I have no enemy; I make carelessness my enemy
I have no armor; I make benevolence and righteousness my armor
I have no castle; I make immovable-mind my castle
I have no sword; I make absence of self my sword